Well, it's been a doctor day! My daughter, Abigail, who has Down syndrome, sees twelve doctors on a regular basis (pediatrician, dentist, ophthalmologist, cardiologist, pulmonologist, nephrologist, ENT, hearing and speech, GI, nutritionist, developmental pediatrician, and endocrinologist), and a few more here and there as needed. Fortunately, several of them are down to every six months or once a year, but we spend a fair amount of time at the doctor's office. So today Abby had appointments with three of her specialists. She got a good check-up, just a few tweaks needed here and there to try to keep things on an even keel. Doesn't sound like much, but to know Abby is to understand that God is still very much involved with His people's lives and He definitely still performs miracles.
You see, Abby is about to turn nine years old . . . which is amazing considering that, early on, her doctors weren't sure that she would make it to two or three years. Compared to other nine-year-olds, she is a medical mess; but compared to where she has been, she is a walking miracle! Abigail has had three heart surgeries (the first at seven days old), two cardiac catheterizations, more than a dozen hospital stays, and more labs/tests/procedures than we can count. At almost nine years old she is a little over 35 pounds and 39 inches tall. Yes, that is very small for her age, but the great thing is that she's finally
growing! Her medical chart and her list of diagnoses are both longer than she is. She still needs oxygen. A lot of oxygen. All day and night. Every day and night. Because of her cardiopulmonary issues, she has to wear a heart monitor to make sure she is getting enough oxygen in her little system. She still needs her feeding tube, but she is taking most of her nourishment by mouth. She isn't steady on her feet, but she
is walking! She hasn't found a way to talk to us - yet - but I know she will. Thanks to God's abounding grace, she is strong and healthy and vibrant and alive.
So I hope you'll forgive me for being very excited about things that we usually take for granted: for instance, a reasonably healthy, growing, child who got a good report at the doctor's office. That Abigail could be making so much progress is a miracle. Her smile and joy and hugs inspire everyone who meets her, and as a result, God uses our sweet little daughter every day to touch people's lives. In short, her life is a daily testimony to the grace and miracles of God!
You see, Abby is about to turn nine years old . . . which is amazing considering that, early on, her doctors weren't sure that she would make it to two or three years. Compared to other nine-year-olds, she is a medical mess; but compared to where she has been, she is a walking miracle! Abigail has had three heart surgeries (the first at seven days old), two cardiac catheterizations, more than a dozen hospital stays, and more labs/tests/procedures than we can count. At almost nine years old she is a little over 35 pounds and 39 inches tall. Yes, that is very small for her age, but the great thing is that she's finally growing! Her medical chart and her list of diagnoses are both longer than she is. She still needs oxygen. A lot of oxygen. All day and night. Every day and night. Because of her cardiopulmonary issues, she has to wear a heart monitor to make sure she is getting enough oxygen in her little system. She still needs her feeding tube, but she is taking most of her nourishment by mouth. She isn't steady on her feet, but she is walking! She hasn't found a way to talk to us - yet - but I know she will. Thanks to God's abounding grace, she is strong and healthy and vibrant and alive.
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